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1 - Introitus/Kyrie
2 - Inked in Blood
3 - Me-Devil
4 - Dies Irae/The Master Malice
5 - The Memories as a Sinner
6 - Death with Dishonor
7 - In Devil's Arms
8 - Overture/Rex Tremendae/I Saw the World's End
9 - Salvation in Flame/Confutatis
10 - Hangman's Hymn/In Paradisum/Das Ende
Album Description
Japanese metal act SIGH have continued to push boundaries with each and every release. Often labeled as a black metal band, the music has been/and continues to be inspired by varied styles such as black metal, 80s thrash heavy metal, classical music, jazz, 60s/70s rock, Indian traditional music and so on. Their seventh album titled Hangman's Hymn is described by leader Mirai Kawashima as ''thrash-metal-meets-German-symphonies! Fast, heavy, bombastic and majestic!'' The album features guest appearances from - Rob Urbinati (Sacrifice) - Guitar solo on the track ''The Master Malice'' Aurielle Gregory (ex-Giant Squid) - Female vocals on the track ''The Master Malice'' Tim Conroy (ex-Giant Squid) - Trumpet used/manipulated on various tracks Steven Sagala (Enforsaken) - Vocals used/manipulated on various tracks. Osmose. 2007.
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 ...first they invade Manchuria...then they survive Hiroshima...and now this...
...Japan are always very good for music (Miyavi, Merzbow, Boris, Boredoms, Dir en Grey, Mucc) but this gem of an album somehow manages to topple all of those bands from their pedsestals...this is truly groundbreaking...
...yes it may be debatable whether they throw anything 100% new to the table...but these Avant Garde artists know how to make music that flows with an instrumental experimentation (and the solos are beautiful)...you can listen to something more complex, and more intense...but it may not seem as comfortable and fluent as their sound which manages to glide gracefully through your ears until coming out of your opposite ear a new breed...the sound never seems to tire...
...this product doesn't require much critical analysis...very simply it all fits perfectly into place...for fans of Avante Garde metal...it has me hungering for more...time to open the back catalogue...
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Possibly Sigh's best album to date. ( corring )
I really like some of Sigh's albums and I think this is their best one. They really manage to match the orchestral with the metal; and they didn't have an orchestra to back them up!
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Yet another gem from Sigh ( gregster1101 )
Once again Sigh manages to put out an amazing album. Resounding Scorn Defeat this album has all the aggression of early Sigh but the samples link it to Imaginary Sonicscape, Its safe to say this album showcases their multifaceted musical ability with exelent black metal and their experimental side. They invite some guest musicians to partake in this album which further expands the breadth of this musical experience. Members of Red Chord, Sacrifice, and Ares Kingdom indulge us with some awesome solos, trumpet and instrumental parts layer on the complexity of this album that keeps me listening for all the melodies. The thing that really makes me happy with this album is that there are no filler tracks; they all showcase the exceptional musicianship of Sigh and the great vocal skills of Mirai.
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 Wore me out.... ( -godgrinder- )
This is probably one of the most over-the-top metal CD's I own. While I realize that Sigh are decade-plus veterans of the global black metal movement, I'm not sure how to treat this CD.
The album has a very operatic feel, with several string/horn arrangements peppered throughout the proceedings. At times, the symphonic arrangements seem a bit overbearing, and just when I start to get annoyed with them, Sigh reels me back in with another litany of blast-beats and primal screams.
My only real gripe with this album is some of the noise going on in the background (e.g.: horror clips, ghoulish cackling, etc). In fact, at times the bombast of the CD borders on campy, and I can't help but wonder if Sigh have traversed a line that turned them into a charicature instead of a true musical force with which to reckon.
Maybe I need to listen to it a few more times.
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Black metal symphony from Japan ( luminosea )
If you know Sigh you'll expect the unexpected on each of their records. This time around, the music got faster - nice speed and thrash base; heavy metal solos, along with the comeback of harsh angry vocals, insane laughters, choirs, and some clean vocal choruses that just want me to sing along and scream at the same time.
What really makes this album stand out for me is the symphonic aspect. Many bands did an album with an orchestra (Dimmu Borgir, Metallica, Scorpions, Manowar....and 10000 more) but usually the symphonic elements either stay apart from the songs or just add little. Sigh didn't use an orchestra, but what they managed to do by far beats most of the symphonic metal attempts out there. The keyboard layers are complex, multi-layered, fast paced and original. Accompanied by great monk-like choirs, really tight production, great musicianship and an onslaught of ideas, this album will have the attentive listeners glued the whole time.
Hangman's Hymn is like a prayer for the few who can appreciate genius creative extremities. According to the frontman Mirai Kawashima, everybody else, the greedy, the weak, the religious fairytale worshipers, and the stupid should just go away and perish.
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